Monday, August 4, 2014

An Eyesore No More - The Craftsman Bungalow

Shortly after we started this project, my friend Debra came to take a peek and promptly dubbed the house 'The Eyesore'. At that point, the house had already been demo'd and it was looking pretty rough! But that's all behind us. We turned the keys over to their new owner last week and I thought it might be nice to take a last 'Before and After' look.

Our goal? Take a bland, nondescript 1920's bungalow and give it some Craftsman style with lots of architectural interest. Did we achieve it? I'll let you be the judge.

The Exterior

With a new porch overhang, new siding, new roof, new windows new stair masonry and chimney - there's not much that hasn't changed here!

The garage also received an overhaul with updated doors and vintage style lighting.

The Front Porch

The front porch had started as a catch-all space, with a front door that opened awkwardly into the room. By installing a new front door and swapping the door & window into the house, we got a very usable, sun drenched porch. Perfect for reading the paper with a cup of coffee in the morning!

The Living and Dining Room

Living Room - Before moving door and adding Foyer

Living Room with Walls Removed and Open Floor Plan

The whole first floor got a dramatic makeover, when we moved the front door and changed the first floor bedroom into a foyer with a new staircase to the second floor. It opened up the entire floor plan and gave us the opportunity to add some beautiful woodwork. The guys from Waterhouse Builders did an amazing job building this custom staircase with its secret storage space underneath!

Secret Door Opens to Large Storage Space

The Dining Room was updated with wainscoting and a plate rail,

as well as a custom china cabinet and oak colonnades.

The Kitchen and Breakfast Room

Before

The kitchen and breakfast room were updated with lots of recessed lighting, new countertops, hardware and appliances. The custom made backsplash over the stove continues the Craftsman elements. Best of all - we discovered original antique maple flooring under the old vinyl floor!

The breakfast room is next to the garage, so it's the entryway the homeowner will use the most. We installed a Craftsman mud bench and coat rack, which will be helpful during our snowy Maine winters.

The Craftsman light fixture is a dramatic accent with the high, wood planked ceiling.

The Bathrooms

We thought the bathrooms were only going to get a facelift, but as the project evolved, the scope kept growing. In the end, we were really pleased with the final results!

Original Clawfoot Tub with Stained Glass 'Window' Above

The natural slate accents added a lot of interest to the tile work in the upstairs bathroom.

And the Craftsman vanity continued the style used throughout the rest of the house.

The Bedrooms and Loft

Master Bedroom - Before

It's probably hard to tell that this is the 'before' photo of the master bedroom, but once we moved the old staircase out of the way, this room became spacious and we had room for a walk in closet!

We made a few changes to the front bedroom, to make room for the new staircase. But this room probably saw the least amount of change than the rest of the house.

The other big addition to the house - adding 'the loft'. We had a big space at the top of the stairs that we decided to accentuate with a skylight to allow light to flood upstairs and down (there aren't any 'before' photos, since a wall ran through this area). It's a versatile spot, with room for a desk and chair or whatever the new owners want! And it has a built in bookcase with a vintage cast iron header.

This was a big project, that took us over 6 months to complete. But we're really thrilled with how it came out. The new owner loves it and asked me to autograph the completed house. It made me think back to a big Maine 'Cottage' we renovated a long time ago......when we stripped the dining room wallpaper, we found that everyone that ever worked on the house had signed and dated it. So I was thrilled to carry on this tradition in this house. Pretty cool, don't you think?

Want to see our next project? Be sure and 'like' us on Facebook for more photos and updates!

The autograph ended up being a lot more complicated than I ever thought possible! The homeowner wanted it on the cedar clapboards on the front porch, but they were so textured, it wouldn't work. We tried on the secret closet in the foyer, but the semi-gloss paint wouldn't accept the stamp. We finally settled on the first floor hall closet!

I had the great pleasure of visiting this house today with the owner. So impressed with your ability to see possibilities that didn't exist there, your artistic eye, and your attention to beautiful, functional details. Do I have a beach house project for you... Thanks for the inspiration!

So glad you found us! Here's a link to the post with all the colors.http://www.sopocottage.com/2014/05/the-dirty-little-secret-about-craftsman.html I also used Sherwin Williams Rice Grain in house number 5. It tends to go with anything and is one of my 'go to' colors.

I know this is an older post. I have bookmarked this makeover and refer to it so many times. The thing I absolutely love the most (which I love a lot of it!) is the non-white kitchen cabinets. I.am.so.tired.of.white.kitchens. We have been on the market for a small second home by a lake, and I think we FINALLY have found THE one. It is a small bungalow with the original beautiful birch cabinets in great shape. This kitchen is my inspiration for the update. I have been looking for a post of the paint colors used. Is there one? Love your blog! Thanks

Laurel at SoPo Cottage

About Us

I have a passion for renovating old houses. And after 30 years in the corporate world, I want to see if I can turn that passion into a business model. My own version of Corporate to Creative! Am I crazy?Maybe, but I want to give it a try.And with the help of some fantastic craftsmen, I’ll share our experiences as we restore, renovate and decorate these houses for today’s modern lifestyle.